Dogcott the Olympics

people make all kinds of stupid, mean and unintentionally wrong remarks on Facebook and the Internet, about gay people, about dogs, about pit bulls in particular and more…

I am noticing that people use pit bull when they want to indicate a mean or scary or even a big dog. for instance, one author I read wrote about her friend being able to wrestle a 160 pound pit bull. this was in a book. i wrote to the person and told her that there ain’t no such thing. that pit bulls, aka American Pit Bull Terriers, Pit Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers, are average between 40-80 pounds. And to say a 160 pound pit bull makes the dog sound really scary, right. Not good for the breed, thank you very much. She wrote back thanking me and told me that her friend had a chow pit bull mix. Well, a chow can be a big dog. And so can Aussie Shepherds, Labs, Goldens, Rotties and other dog breeds but not pit bull breeds. so if you want to talk about wrestling a DOG, say a dog, or a BIG breed of dog like those mentioned, capiche?

Someone else today wrote about a pit bull tearing apart toilet paper. What that visual was supposed to connote am not sure. But again, why not just a dog or cat tore apart the toilet paper? sounds scarier saying a pit bull and continues the big bad mean myth.

Meanwhile, numerous communities are repealing, overturning and doing away with their breed bans, yay. Mixed bag, right.

Now, what is happening in Russia is a big travesty and people are boycotting the Olympics due to the fact that stray dogs in Sochi are being killed to prepare for the Olympics. They were called disposable waste. Also, Russian treatment of gay people is abominable. And there are other problems going on there, too.

“In a phone interview with ABC News, Sorokin described the extermination as a public service. He described the animals as “ biological trash” and said that Sochi has “an epidemic of rabies”.

“I am for the right of people to walk the streets without fear of being attacked by packs of dogs,” he said.

“The practice of hunting stray dogs has become common in Russia, where they are widely visible throughout many city streets. Sterilisation is not common and many owners simply abandon their pets.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/sochi-killing-stray-dogs-in-preparation-for-the-winter-olympics-9105046.html

 

a resscue group is trying to save the dogs that are left.

 

“Hundreds of dogs have already been killed. Authorities have told the organization they have until today, before Friday’s opening ceremonies, and any dogs left will be shot.

“Rescued dogs are being taken to a shelter called PovoDog, outside of the city.  Organization workers say many pets were left behind by families displaced by the construction for the games. And, construction workers attracted the dogs to stick around by feeding them.

“Rescue workers began their efforts this past October. They report up to 300 dogs were being killed a month.

“The Volnoe Deloe rescue is backed by Russian billionaire Oleg V. Deripaska.

Thanks to the New York Times for covering the urgent efforts. Read the full story at NYTimes.com >>

how to talk to media about pit bulls

great discussion on pit bulletin legal news radio with Cathy Rosenthal

we have to not be emotional about these issues, just provide the info so people can feel that they are part of solving the problem (in the letter below I used her techniques for always associating pit bulls with positive, and reframing the question to educating people about dog bites, how media overreports on pit bulls and more.

http://radio.pblnn.com/shows/interviews/405-cathy-rosenthal-talking-to-the-media-about-pit-bull-terriers

letter to respond to:

http://www.pasadenanow.com/main/councilmember-madison-says-city-cant-wait-pit-bulls-must-controlled-now

Councilmember Madison Says City Can’t Wait, Pit Bulls Must Be Controlled Now

By RACHEL YOUNG
Published: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 | 11:51 AM

Councilmember Steve Madison points to a pit bull attack this morning as further evidence that the City Council needs to pass his ordinance mandating all pit bulls be spayed or neutered.

Madison spoke this morning after a cyclist was forced to the roof of a car along Fair Oaks Avenue to escape the attack of three pit bull or pit bull mix dogs earlier today. Police officers shot all three dogs with a shotgun, killing one and injuring the other two.

“[Councilmember] Terry Tornek said the evidence doesn’t support it. I don’t know how someone could make that statement, it’s just so clearly false,” Madison said. “To me it’s a case where we should exercise our police power as a city, as a government to impose at least some modest regulation so that we address this.”

This attack comes on the heels of a similar report on Jan. 11 in which a growling pit bull trapped a man inside his car in Northwest Pasadena until the police arrived with a tazer gun. That dog shook off the tazer’s effect and ran away at that time, only to be captured days later.

“This is not something I’m making up. I don’t have anything against pit bulls per se, it’s just [that] no social scientist who looks at this data could draw any conclusion other than these dogs are very dangerous,” Madison said.

Madison pointed out that this attack comes just 36 hours before his colleagues had rejected a “modest” ordinance that did not impose a ban of pit bulls, but required them to be spayed and neutered. He noted that most of the “passionate pit bull lovers” were probably responsible and loving dog owners who already had their dogs spay and neutered.

“When you have a room packed full of passionate pit bull lovers and they’re telling you please don’t do this my dog is great, it’s easy just to put your finger in the wind and not act,” Madison said.

However, he said the conversation should be about the data and not each pit bull owner’s experience. He noted that last year 31 deaths in the country were caused by pit bulls. He also said five of five dog related deaths were caused by pit bulls last year in California, with three of those five being the family pet attacking a family member.

Madison says the City can’t wait six months to discuss a mandatory spay and neuter of all dogs because the problem right now is pit bulls.

“I’ve been working on pit bulls for years, everybody says ‘lets just study the issue.’ We don’t need to study this anymore. This is a clear and present danger and we need to act now. I’ll be happy to discus spay and neutering parakeets and lizards and goldfish and all the rest, but right now those aren’t the threats. The threats are pit bulls,” Madison said.

editor@pasadenanow.com

Dear Editor,

re: Councilmember Madison mandatory spay and neuter

Everyone in the community is concerned about aggressive dogs and stopping dog bites. No one wants their dog to be killed or shot by police who are trying to deal with the problem of dogs roaming the streets. The mandatory spaying and neutering proposal will NOT solve the problem since breed is NOT a factor when it comes to dog bites and attacks. Councilmember Madison says that breed is the problem but bites by pit bulls are overeported by the media. He is focusing on breeds instead of focusing on the real reasons for dog bites.

It is important to know the factors that lead to dog bites so that REAL solutions can be implemented.

My next door neighbor’s dog is the perfect example of a dog who is potentially dangerous because of all of the red flag factors. Red flags: He is not neutered. He is left alone and isolated in the yard 24/7 rain, cold, sunshine/heat, and he is not socialized, not trained on how to act towards people and other dogs. This is a powerful dog with a lot of energy who is never walked nor exercised. He is frustrated, crying, whining and often heard howling. He is miserable. And if and when he ever escapes his captors yard, he may hurt someone since he does NOT know how to behave. This is not his fault. It is the fault of his guardians who refuse to neuter him, train, exercise and/or take him inside. Their dog is a powerful Siberian Husky who weighs about 150 pounds. It is not how this dog looks that will cause him to hurt someone, it is how he is being mistreated.

Other factors that lead to dog bites include dogs that roam the streets in packs, dogs who are chained up in a yard who can become territorial, leaving a dog outside 24/7, female dogs with babies who protect their offspring, dogs who have been abused, neglected and/or terrorized by humans, sick dogs, starved dogs and dogs who are trained to attack humans and/or other dogs.

In a 2008 study published in Applied Animal Behavior Science, dog breeds were ranked based on their propensity for aggression toward owners, strangers and other dogs. The breeds with the highest likelihood of directing aggression toward strangers were dachshunds and Chihuahuas, with 20 percent of the sample attempting to bite or biting humans, compared with 7 percent for pit bulls.

Other breeds rated highest for aggression toward strangers included Doberman pinschers, rottweilers, Yorkshire terriers and poodles. The study states that “scores for stranger-directed aggression found among pit bull terriers were inconsistent with their universal reputation as a ‘dangerous breed’ and their reported involvement in dog bite-related fatalities.” The high aggression breeds identified in the study send people to the emergency room and, even when they don’t, they can instill a lifelong paralyzing fear of dogs in children who constitute the majority of dog bite victims.

It is also important to learn canine body language. Dogs exhibit body postures that forecast how they are responding. In other words, dog give warning signals before they bite. If a dog is staring intently, tail stiff up, and /or growling, it is best to back away slowly from the dog.

And just because a dog (like my neighbor’s) has red flags does not necessarily mean that they WILL bite, only that the likelihood goes up for each factor. And even then, some dogs will NOT bite. Take, for example, the former Michael Vick dogs. Despite the fact that they were chained 24/7, were unsocialized, untrained and had been terrorized, abused and traumatized at Bad Newz Kennels, none of these pit bulls showed any aggression. Eight of them have become therapy dogs. Many are living in homes with children, other dogs, cats and other pets.

History and statistics tells us that solving the wrong problem will not bring an end to dog bites. Breed is not a factor when it comes to dog bites so to demand mandatory spaying and neutering of any particular breed of dog will not end the problem.

Thank you.

 

(they published my letter)

 

 

http://www.pasadenanow.com/main/opinion-everyone-in-the-community-is-concerned-about-agressive-dogs-and-stopping-dog-bites

 

Be the change 4 paws

Here we are again… since today is Be the Change October 15, 2013 and this month is Pit Bull Awareness Month, I have decided to combine the two into one nifty little blog post about pit bulls.  Seems like the tide has been turning and myths about pit bulls are being overturned, not everywhere, but in a lot of places, thanks to TV shows like Pit Bulls and Parolees and Pit Boss and movies. You can Be the Change for Pit Bulls through education, fostering, adoption, and through your local shelter.  Show the world that pit bulls are good dogs. Be creative. Share the love and sloppy kisses.

What do you think???

Here is a poll about pit bulls… please vote

 

http://specials.msn.com/more-polls.aspx

A few cool stories about pit bull heroes

http://living.msn.com/family-parenting/pets/off-the-leash-blog-post?post=4b02f282-6652-4b19-8f13-9f02d0ddead1

elle the pit bull named hero dog of the year 

http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/pet-scoop-therapy-pit-bull-named-american-hero-dog-orphaned-manatee-calf-rescued?WT.mc_id=cc_msn

You can watch beyond the myth documentary for free on Hulu

http://www.hulu.com/watch/417334

 

 

This is a Blog Hop… you can enter here:

http://poochsmooches.blogspot.com/2013/10/blog-change-cool-shelter-policy.html

Any Dog Can Bite

“Whom do dogs most often bite? Toddlers. Next, the elderly; and coming in third–you guessed it–postal carriers.”

As a U.S. Postal Service slogan in support of National Dog Bite Prevention Week says, “There are 70 million good dogs, but…ANY DOG CAN BITE.”

…Patterson of the AVMA calls insurers’ singling out certain breeds misguided. The data, she says, do not bear out the contention that one breed is more apt to bite than another, though she allows that big dogs, by virtue of their size and strength, may do more damage when they bite. “A Great Dane, a retriever can do a pretty good job of biting, if they decide to.” But if you look at “willingness to bite,” she says, there’s no evidence that pit bulls, for example, are more dangerous than Pekinese. “Communities with a lot of pit bull bites are communities with a lot of pit bulls.”

…Patterson of the AVMA calls insurers’ singling out certain breeds misguided. The data, she says, do not bear out the contention that one breed is more apt to bite than another, though she allows that big dogs, by virtue of their size and strength, may do more damage when they bite. “A Great Dane, a retriever can do a pretty good job of biting, if they decide to.” But if you look at “willingness to bite,” she says, there’s no evidence that pit bulls, for example, are more dangerous than Pekinese. “Communities with a lot of pit bull bites are communities with a lot of pit bulls.”

http://gma.yahoo.com/dogs-put-489m-bite-home-insurance-industry-141829262–abc-news-topstories.html

Children aged 12 years and younger were the victims in 51% of cases. Compared with controls, biting dogs were more likely to be German Shepherd or Chow Chow predominant breeds, male, residing in a house with ≥ 1 children, and chained while in the yard

If we want better outcomes in our communities, we need to promote responsible pet ownership: the humane care, custody and control of all dogs.

If you’re REALLY worried about dog bites, you should support correcting the things that cause them: like making sure that all dogs are trained & socialized properly, making sure that all dogs are spayed or neutered, making sure that no dogs suffer neglect and/or abuse, and if they do, making sure the dogs are properly rehabilitated.

You should NOT  fixate on one particular factor to the exclusion of all else and which is not determinative in predicting bites – the breed of dog. When you see a web site or story reporting that the breed is the SOLE determining factor, THEY ARE LYING TO YOU! And when you spread their lies, you are doing nothing to help curb the problem you’re concerned about. And when you support Breed Specific Legislation, you’re actually making that problem worse.Why? Because it is a simplistic approach to a complex problem, and it doesn’t address the real issues.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022910141

The breeds that scored the average or below average rate of or attempted bites are Pit Bulls and Rottweilers. The breeds that are the most docile with the utmost least aggression are Bassett Hounds, Golden Retrievers, Labradors, Siberian Huskies and Greyhounds.

http://www.petwatchman.com/the-top-three-most-aggressive-dog-breeds-youll-be-surprised/

Prevention

How to “Be a Rock”. In the Be a Tree dog bite prevention program we teach kids to Be a Rock if a dog knocks them down, or they are playing on the ground when a strange dog comes near. We don’t talk about dogs attacking them, since we don’t want to create a fear of dogs where there is not one. We don’t talk about protecting the throat and internal organs in case the dog rips them out (yes, some dog bite prevention educators actually talk about these things and put terrifying images into the heads of kids and parents – yikes!)

The fact is, that the rock is very rarely needed, because if kids “Be a Tree”, the dog will go away. The vast majority of dogs do not intend harm and they quickly lose interest in a child that is standing still.

http://doggonesafe.com/Be_a_Tree_program

Remember, a responsible dog owner should:

• NEVER leave a baby or small child alone with a dog, even if it is a family pet. Children are often bitten by a dog in their own household.
• Make sure your pet is socialized as a young puppy so it feels at ease around people and other animals.
• Never put your dog in a position where it feels threatened or teased.
• Walk and exercise your dog regularly to keep it healthy and provide mental stimulation.
• Use a leash in public to ensure you are able to control your dog.
• Regular veterinary visits are essential to regulating the health of your dog. A sick or injured dog is more likely to bite.
• Be alert. If someone approaches you and your dog while out on a walk, caution them to wait before petting the dog, giving your pet time to be comfortable with the stranger.

A dog’s tendency to bite depends on such factors as heredity, obedience training, socialization, health, and the victim’s behavior. There are good dogs and bad dogs within every breed, just as there can be responsible and irresponsible owners of each breed. That’s why State Farm does not refuse insurance based on the breed of dog a customer owns. Under the right circumstances, any dog might bite.

http://www.statefarm.com/aboutus/_pressreleases/2013/nj-sf-lists-top-states-for-dog-bite-claims.asp

Vets in Australia are calling on governments to ditch bans on dangerous dog breeds.

The Australian Veterinary Association (AWA), which has launched a new strategy to deal with dog bites, says the latest research shows banning particular breeds does nothing to address aggression in dogs, and nothing to increase public safety.

The vets say a focus on registration, education and temperament testing would be more effective.

…Veterinary behaviourist and AWA spokeswoman Dr Kersti Seksel argues breeds-specific legislation is not the answer.

“It hasn’t decreased the number of dog bites,” she said.

“Regardless of breed, dogs are capable of biting, just like people are capable of fighting regardless of our origin either.”

…RSPCA Victoria president Hugh Wirth was once a supporter of banning dangerous dog breeds.

He advocated for the breeding out of the American Pit Bull Terrier, saying they were “lethal” and “time bombs waiting for the right circumstances”.

But not anymore.

“The truth about breed-specific legislation is that it doesn’t work, you don’t decrease the numbers,” he said.

“In fact you send the breeding of that particular breed of dog underground.

Mr Wirth says his change of heart was brought about by the latest veterinary and dog behaviour research.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-14/vet-group-calls-for-end-to-dog-breed-banning/4198896

Blog Hop time…thanks to Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume…  grab the blog hop  link

Who let the pit bulls out?

Below is how to answer fear mongering anti pit bulls pro BSL letters/opinions published in newspapers…  Last week, the Orlando Sentinel published a couple of opinion pieces by noted and discredited pit bull hater Colleen Lynn… all about how safe Orlando will be when pit bulls are banned.

I wrote a letter to Mike Lafferty the Opinion editor and asked if Colleen Lynn should be banned from speaking about pit bulls and suggested that they pick more credible writers and also counter with differing opinions (which to his credit, they did, he informed me).

Here is how the pit bull community responded:

“We all want to live safely, including with dogs. With that purpose in mind, we should adopt policies that have succeeded, and avoid ones that failed.

Breed-specific regulation did not originate with pit bulls. Long Branch, N.J., banned the Spitz in 1878. Massachusetts banned bloodhounds in 1886. Australia prohibited the further importation of German Shepherd dogs in 1929.

None of these breed-specific regulations made communities safer, and all have long since been consigned to the dustbin reserved for government failures.”

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-front-burner-pit-bulls-con-20130523,0,5330359.story

“…This is how dog attacks happen. A dog is causing problems in a neighborhood, the owners are not responsive, people try to get somebody to do something and the people who are supposed to be addressing these issues (animal control or the police) don’t respond because there is no injured party and the threat to public safety isn’t abundantly obvious until the dog has either hurt someone or is threatening to do so right before the officer’s eyes.

“Today, the Sentinel ran an editorial from noted pit bull hater Colleen Lynn, who runs an organization called DogsBite.org., called “Banning pit bulls saves lives and protects the innocent.” She claims that pit bull bans will help keep communities safer because, in theory, the dogs that she thinks are doing all the biting won’t be around anymore. She cherry-picks a bunch of dubious statistics (for instance, she cites a dated CDC study that looked at dog breeds responsible for dog bites over a period of years that the CDC itself has said really didn’t prove much of anything; they’ve since stopped using breed as a way of categorizing dog bites because they say their findings weren’t really conclusive enough to draw conclusions) and some sensational information (for instance, she says pit bulls don’t let go of what they’re biting until they’re dead – which is why people sometimes say they are “dead game.” That’s a whole lot of malarkey, but also beside my point for now) and concludes that a pit bull ban would keep people from being mauled by dogs.”

http://blogs.orlandoweekly.com/index.php/2013/05/a-response-to-the-editorial-in-todays-sentinel-pit-bull-bans-not-the-answer/

http://photos.orlandoweekly.com/index.php/80-adorable-pit-bulls-who-want-you-to-know-they-are-family/sony-dsc/

National Pet Road Trip to Carmel Day

Now today  is National Pet Day… and Fodor has a few puppy approved road trips…everyone run don’t walk to Carmel, the pet friendliest city in the USA… (see below)

http://www.fodors.com/news/national-pet-day-puppyapproved-road-trips-6666.html

There should be a National Pet Road Trip to Carmel Day when all the puppies who want to hit the highway…  or a National Pit Bull Road Trip to Carmel Day when all of the pit bulls who want to hit the road, Jack.

pet friendly places to stay in Carmel

http://celiasue.com/2008/11/14/happy-tails-to-you-when-we-meet-in-carmel/

Speaking of pit bulls, it is because Maryland made the erroneous decision against pit bulls that they LOST the pet friendliest city award from Ge Pet Friendly’s contest… and Carmel WON… although I have to say that Carmel beach is not all that pit bull friendly, at least some of the people there, and neither is Monterey, but at least there is no Breed Specific Legislation bans on the books… just dirty looks and uppity kooks… anyhow, am glad that Carmel got a lot of PR in the local newspapers and TV, and on Facebook… for being pit bull friendly so now they absolutely have to LIVE UP TO IT.

am glad to see that some pit bull rescue organizations including Villalobos are being given donations due to this contest and that pit bull awareness was raised.

From go pet friendly:

Congratulations Carmel, California – you’ve been voted 2013′s Best City for Pet Travelers by GoPetFriendly.com’s readers, pet travelers, fans of your city, and pet lovers in general from around the country! We know you’ll carry your title proudly and continue to make Carmel a wonderful destination for pet travelers.

With Annapolis sporting a comfortable advantage, the tournament was turned completely on its ear when the Maryland legislature was unable to pass a law on Monday that would supersede a court decision declaring pit bulls “inherently dangerous” in the state. Now the dedicated Carmel enthusiasts were joined by passionate dog lovers across the nation on a mission to ensure that a city which is subject to the discriminatory laws imposed by its state wasn’t named the 2013 Best City for Pet Travelers. That combination propelled Carmel to the victory.

Though Annapolis does not impose a breed ban, the state of Maryland considers pit bulls “inherently dangerous” and that has forced many people to surrender their beloved pets. The pleas to end BSL were overwhelming.

What we need to remember is that the people of Annapolis did not vote for this and they don’t want it either. The people of Maryland do not need our disdain or our lectures on the evils of breed discrimination – they need our help!

let’s help make a difference in Maryland!

State House, Annapolis, Maryland
(410) 974-3901   1-800-811-8336 (toll free)
tdd: (410) 333-309

Sadie the Wonder Pup worked hard to make this victory happen…

The following animal welfare organizations will receive the benefit of Sadie’s vision and hard work:

Lab Rescue LRCP
Salinas Animal Services
The SPCA for Monterey County/ Monterey SPCA Wag N’ Walk 2013
Animal Friends Rescue Project
SOL (Sharing Our Love) Foundation
Rowdy to the Rescue
Best Friends Animal Society
Villalobos Rescue Center
Peace of Mind Dog Rescue
Doris Day Animal Foundation (DDAF)
The Animal Orphanage of Voorhees
Second Chance Rescue

Pit Sisters

Fresno Bully Rescue

Mended Hearts Rescue

http://gopetfriendlyblog.com/carmel-wins-gopetfriendly-coms-2013-best-city-for-pet-travelers/

Where can a pit bull eat lunch safely and comfortably next to family? Well, in Carmel, of course!   (Sonja Torres and her pup Luna)

Have a heart

Imagine a child born to parents who treat their child as a meal ticket. Parents who make money off of their children. Parents who force their children to fight for their lives every day of life. Parents who keep the children unsocialized, tied up in the backyard, hidden with a heavy chain on their necks, unable to escape. Parents who allow their girl children to be raped at a young age so that they produce more children to be abused. All of the children are terrified, angry and traumatized, some become out of their minds. And one day someone kind comes along and sets the children free and puts the parents in jail. Are the children sent to jail, too? Should the children be killed for being too mean? This is the life of too many pit bulls… and yes, they can be likened to abused and neglected children. When given the love, socialization and care they deserve, they are good dogs. Who is responsible for a child or a dog? Who should be held accountable the child, the dog or the parent?

And Breed Specific Legislation takes innocent children/dogs out of their homes, puts them in doggie jail and kills them because they MIGHT become violent some day. That is like saying one day your child with red hair is going to become a dangerous criminal. Why? Because they have red hair. So with all of the media and political hype and hysteria, you decide to round up all of the red haired people and kill them because one red haired person committed a crime in your neighborhood. Does this make any sense???

And in shelters all across this country (and world), the off spring aka the dogs are held accountable for the wrongdoings of the parents/guardians. And the dogs pay the ultimate price. They are killed for being innocent victims of violent criminals. Meanwhile the dog fighters pay a fine and get a little jail time. What kind of system of justice is this?   Am all for second chances but when the criminals have more rights than those they hurt, then that is just plain wrong.

the ones who are too aggressive and violent (and mean and cruel) are the dog fighting criminals who make money off of the dogs and treat these dogs like garbage. The dogs like the former Vick dogs when given the love and care they deserve become therapy dogs (8 of the former Vick dogs) and just plain regular family dogs (many of the former Vick dogs live with kids, other dogs, cats and more). Jail and punish the dog fighters NOT the dogs. Do we send kids who have been abused to jail or do we send child abusers to jail?  The adults are the responsible person so why punish the kids????  Remember that scene in the movie Good Will Hunting when the shrink played by Robin Williams tells the boy his father’s abuse was NOT his fault.  Rape, child abuse, any kind of violence against a person or animals is NEVER the victim’s fault. It is the abuser’s fault. Just because an abuser has a lot of money does NOT make the abuse right nor should it get them off the hook.

Bless this couple for taking care of fight dogs, the way that they should be treated. There needs to be a lot more folks like this.

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/20038732/atlanta-couple-works-to-save-pit-bulls

We like seeing positive ads with pit bulls, too, more and more every day, yay.

the ultimate pit bulls

I loved watching the TV series Charmed. And Kaley Cuoco played Billie, a superwitch, who became the Charmed ones friend and helper and for a very short time enemy. Billie and her sister became the Ultimate Power. And of course good won out over evil.

Now, in real life, Kaley Cuoco has THREE rescued pit bulls, one of whom loves a good soak in the hot tub and a dip in the pool to cool off… smart dog… and she brought a video of her pooch with her to share with Ellen DeGeneres…

(Thanks to Robert from Seattle DogSpot for this story and the one about Walgreen’s below)…

and Kaley and her dogs were also on national TV (People’s Choice Awards… cannot imagine Cici being that well behaved, wow, I am impressed

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151171084147161&set=vb.716147160&type=2&theater

It is wonderful having Pit Bulls and Parolees and Pit Boss back on Animal Planet.

pls let Walgreen’s know u do not want them selling pepper spray to hurt pit bulls, the most abused dogs on the planet…we need stupidity repellent not pepper spray… take the spray and signs off their shelves NOW !!!!  seems like Walgreen’s is opening up their company to lawsuits…  if ANY crazy person were to spray my dog with pepper spray, I would sue Walgreen’s and the person, LIABILITY ISSUES

http://www.seattledogspot.com/blog/2013/01/08/walgreens-is-selling-anti-pitbull-pepper-spray

Here’s what Walgreen’s are telling people on their FB page: We apologize to everyone about the pit bull spray that was sold at a few isolated locations. We can assure you that this was not a corporately purchased item. It was never our company’s intent to condone the inappropriate singling out of any one breed of dog. Instead, a very small number of our stores obtained it for sale on their own. As a result of us becoming aware of the product, we have told those few stores who are carrying the item to stop selling it immediately. We also will ensure other locations don’t carry it, too. Thank you and be well.

Adopt a dog

do not talk much about Cici’s spots/Dal side, but this is a wonderful resource about Dalmatians…

http://www.squidoo.com/dalmatians101

now on to the pit bull side…

first, the good news…

Seven happy and healthy former Vick dogs have reunited, five years later

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/11/five-years-rescued-vick-dogs-reunite/

how to adopt or rehome a pit bull

http://www.badrap.org/adoption-strategies

Now, the not so good news, a”vicious” pit bull KTLA banned from the show.

email: sarah.grooters@ktla.com, Nancy.Cruz@ktla.com

Yesterday morning, Sally was scheduled to be on KTLA, a local news station in Los Angeles, with two adoptable dogs, Gideon and Franklyn (see Franklyn’s video)

Franklyn’s foster lives an hour away and arrived early to be there.

Prior to the day, the producers of the show asked for descriptions of the dogs and were given them.

When they arrived, one of the show producers came out, looked at Franklyn (who was busy kissing a human admirer) and said, “Oh no. We have an anti Pit-Bull policy.”

I calmly told her that we were not informed of this, and had we been, we would have cancelled our appearance as breed discrimination is not something I tolerate, and more so, is against public policy.*

She stated that I could go on with Gideon but not Franklyn. I told her that if Franklyn was not allowed, I was leaving as well, so she went in to talk to another show producer. 30 minutes later in the freezing cold, she came outside to say that they would not allow Franklyn on the air. I explained that this is also a violation of law and that they would have to find something else to fill the spot since there is no way I would support or be in a show that discriminates.

Gideon, Franklyn, and his foster Sally then left.

* California Food & Ag code Section 31683 states, in relevant part: “Except as provided in Section 122331 of the Health and Safety Code, no program regulating any dog shall be specific as to breed.”

JOIN ME IN TELLING KTLA THAT YOU WILL NOT SUPPORT BREED DISCRIMINATION.  KTLA can use some education about pit bulls and could do a show about pit bulls. Be polite and professional. Thanks.

Contact details are below.

Producers for today:

Nancy Cruz
Nancy.Cruz@ktla.com

Sarah Grooters
sarah.grooters@ktla.com and 323.460.5530 (DIRECT)

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ktla5?fref=ts

Fax Number: Morning News: 323-460-5404

To send an email to the morning news in general:

Fill in online form for “Contact the Morning News:”

http://www.ktla.com/about/station/contact/ktla-morningnews-email-page,0,1576831.htmlstory

Twitter: @KTLAMorningNews

http://www.ktla.com/about/station/contact/

Address for letters:
5800 SUNSET BLVD. | LOS ANGELES, CA. 90028

Breed of fools

 Pit bulls

there are numerous breeds all lumped together and called pit bull…American Pit Bull Terriers, Miniature Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Bull Dogs, Bull Terriers or mixed breeds that have the appearance or characteristics of one of these breeds…

History:

Pit Bulls are descendants of the original English bull-baiting dog—a dog that was bred to bite and hold bulls, bears and other large animals around the face and head. “Bulldogs” were bred to hang on without releasing their grip, until the animal was exhausted from fighting and from loss of blood. When baiting large animals was banned in the 1800s, people then started to fight their dogs against each other instead. But they were Bred to be EXTREMELY friendly to PEOPLE, since the handlers were HUMANS and did not want to get hurt. If a dog exhibited any aggression towards humans, they were bred out. NO HUMAN AGGRESSION WAS ALLOWED.  Any hint of human aggression was considered unacceptable.

True fighting dogs do not show any aggression towards humans whatsoever. Human aggression was in fact considered a major fault, so if a dog showed any human aggression it would be destroyed and the line would not be bred from anymore. Handlers were in the pit with the dogs during a fight and would not be so if they thought there was any danger.

Later, Pit Bulls were considered ideal family pets—affectionate, loyal and gentle with children.

“…for over half a century in between, 1920 to 1970, millions of Bulldogs, Bull Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers,  American Staffordshire Terriers and all their mixed breed cousins served Americans well in every possible capacity and circumstance.”    ThePit Bull Placebo by Karen Delise

Bad rep

My kids are around pit bulls every day. In the ’70s they blamed Dobermans, in the ’80s they blamed German shepherds, in the ’90s they blamed the Rottweiler. Now they blame the pit bull.”    Cesar Millan.  “Pit bulls get a bad rap because of irresponsible owners….”

In the book Pit Bull Placebo by Karen Delise, discusses how dogs of various breeds have been demonized since the 1800’s. People’s perception of ‘dangerous dogs’ has changed over the centuries.

l. Eliza and her baby (Uncle Tom’s Cabin) being chased by snarling teeth gnashing Bloodhounds.

“During the second half of the 19th century, Bloodhounds were frequently reported as the breed most responsible for severe and fatal attacks on humans.”

2. Super-predator Nazi guard Doberman Pinscher dogs perform became a symbol of cruelty and depraved acts.

3.  The Time Bomb Pit Bull depicted on the cover of Time magazine…

By the early 1980s, the Pit bull was on the fast track to becoming the new super-predator.

In 1987, over 800 newspaper articles were printed in which “Pit bulls” were headlined.

In 2006, the media continues to exploit the Pit bull with an unprecedented 2,800+ newspaper articles vying for their readers’ attention with the words “Pit bull” in the headlines.

Goofy personalities

 

Celebrities